The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-23
THE sTREET-CAR MONOPOLY.

THE STREET CAR MONOPOLY.
A little incident transpired in the Council
on last Saturday night worthy the attention
of the public. Mr.. Swain introduced series
of resolutions which, after reciting the failure
of the johnson street-railroad company to
comply with formal order of the Council
and Board of Aldermen to extend tn cir lines
on Mississippi street from Indiana avenue to
Twelfth street, as well as to obey the Council
and Board of Aldermen in other matters,
declared forfeited the right of the company to
the use of Mississippi street and ordered the
street-car company to take up that part of
their track now laid on said street. The reso-
lutions further pledged the Council to grant
franchise to any corporation properly organ
lied to build, maintain and operate general
system of street railways in this city, and
especially invited the attention of persons or
corporations engaged in building and operating
electric and cable street railroads to Indian
apolis place of investment. DR.. Eden
harter was deeply panied at the introduction
of these resolutions. Indeed, he thought
them outrageous. He said the special
committee, of which he is chairman and to
which had been referred, some months ago,
resolution ordering the street-car company to
extend its lines to Crown Hill, had about got
came along "to knock it in the head" With.
all due respect to Dr. Edenharter, the Demo
cratic ring candidate for Mayor and creature
of the street-car company, we must say that,
We are informed that he has never even
called his committee together. But this was
not all. After Dr. Edenharter had thus de-
livered himself, Mr. Coy, under indictment
as conspirator to forge tally-sheets and
member of the street railway ring, moved
that Mr.. SWANS resolution be referred to DR..
Edenharters committee-the object, of course,
being burial. True to their master, the rail-
way tools in the Council referred the resolu-
tions and they will never be heard of again,
ing the committee to report them back at
once A study of the proceedings thus de-
tailed suggests the memory of the late Ia
mented, Mr.. Bowling. Alas for departed
shades! What an opportunity he would have
had! However, the johnson interests do not
appear to have suffered in his absence. q
We have no hesitation in indorsing Mr..
SWANS resolutions. What this city needs is
competition. A corporation is good servant
but bad master. Street-cars are necessity,
and render a service to the public. But so
are dry goods stores; and yet dry goods mer-
chant is not given his rent free, nor is he pro-
tected from competition by City Council.
One has precisely the same right to monopoly
as another-that is to say. neither has it.
Competition is a permanent guarantee of first
class service. Self-interest dictates improve
ment where there is rival in the field The
self-interest of a monopoly is opposition to
improvement. Under the present monopo-
listic status, when the public of Indianapolis
ask for cars with platforms in place of the
big, yellow, bob-tailed barges on wheels,
which, drawn by mules, go bounding up and
down the streets with sea-sick motion; when
they ask for cleanliness, heat in winter, con-
ductors and smooth tracks, level with the
pavement, that shall not be constant menace
to carriage wheels, they are compelled either to
assume a belly-groveling attitude, and beg
Mr.. johnson to give them their moneys
worth or else to try the effect of threats
Thus far both methods have been without
avail. The time has come to end this bust
ness altogether. The remedy is simple. Let
foreign capital be invited. A cable or electric
line (both are in successful operation in other
cities) could be constructed from the depot to
Crown Hill, and would pay well. There are
a number of available streets on which a cir
cult could be effected. Such a system would
be creditable to the citys progress, would be
of inestimable benefit to the public, and would
mark the downfall of Tomjohnsonism.